First off, I have 4 guppies in my tank. My tank was cycled using fish food for 4 weeks, and just that. My ammonia was nothing when I put my guppies in my tank so I think they are safe. My tank is a 33 gallon tank with a 150w heater placed in a darkish area (not direct sunlight). I have had this setup for about a week.

So my first question is that my water randomly went really clear. Ive read about this before being good, but can I have some details? What is happening? It is crystal clear right now... looks great.

I know rainbow fish are schooling fish but can they be kept in groups of 2 or 3? I already plan to have neons so, perhaps rainbows are not a good idea.

I am also adding the platies next, so when can I do so?

Also, if I put a pleco in my tank, will it eat all the scraps off the bottom the fish make? or does it just eat algae?

Thanks a lot! :-D

Jeff

Horseluver50

06-08-2009 05:29 PM

No, thats not overcrowded...

I have 3 plecos in my 20 gall. tank, and just to warn you.. they grow HUGE... mine are almost half the length of my tank, when I bought them they were about an inch long... They don't eat the scraps on the bottom either, they just suck algae off the sides, they rarely go along the bottom, well at least mine dont.. they like sucking on the glass...lol.. they're kinda useless..

Mine are extremely ugly.. lol.. they look like dinosaurs... but if you get the zebra plecos, they are really nice looking..

As for the other fish, platies and guppies are awesome :) Do you have males and females together? Because, if you do, they breed like crazy!

So, ya... good luck

Jeffreypang911

06-08-2009 08:21 PM

As far as I know, Dwarf plecos grow about 2 inches.

No I only have 4 males!

So would adding 6 rainbow fish along with the 10 neons, one pleco and 4 platies not be bad? Seems like a lot of fish.

No issue with two schooling crowds in one tank?

Jeff

PS I forgot to ask one more question, is it ok to keep a crab in the tank? Would they be too aggressive with a tank of fish?

Arkamaic

06-08-2009 10:50 PM

When considering over crowded or not, general rule of thumb i 1" of fish per 1 gallon of water. Three *common* plecos in a 20 gal is overcrowded.

And the crab should be fine. I don't see why not. And how big do this species of rainbows get?

Also, plecos have been known to eat flakes/shrimp etc.. they are omnivores.

I know they are schooling fish but what would happen if I put only 2 or 3 of them in the tank? They wouldn't start schooling with the neons would they? ahaha.

Thanks for the rule. I will remember that.

Jeff

Arkamaic

06-09-2009 01:13 AM

With most schooling fish, its recommend about 5-6 of the same fish for them to be happiest. You don't necessarily have to, but they may act depressed, not be active, not healthy etc. Also aggressive to one another.

And no haha, they wouldn't. My neons are afraid of my rainbows haha.

A possible setups:
10 neons
1 Dwarf Pleco
5 Rainbows

or

10 Neons
5 Platties
1 Dwarf Pleco

Something along those lines would be good. I'd personally say go with the rainbows, schooling fish look cool.

You could do it different however. I myself have 2 Australian Rainbows (1F, 1M), 5 neons, 1 Pleco. Maybe a tad overstocked, but I have a little bigger filter, plus i keep up on water changes, not over feeding etc... And this has been working well for me. Except for about the past week my male rainbow has been agressive towards the female =( those two are about 4 or 5 years old tho.